Ice Age: Song of Flames
by DinoFan115
Summary: In the land of Tetheros, the fires spread. With one of the Sindur Stones destroyed, King Lautaro is being taken to the Phoenix Islands to obtain his quest for immortality. Now, the Song of Flames is coming to Tetheros, a great war that will determine the fate of the island itself. The flames of the Song spread in the conclusion of the trilogy that began with Into the Inferno.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Indeed the Island of Tetheros was on the verge of the Second Song of Flames. Meras, or the Shadow Feather as many called him, knew that after the First Song, which he experienced firsthand, another would come. And it came with the image of Lautaro. The false bear king was heading to Fereldas and from there, the Nyx would take him to the city of Nyxia, where their evil king, Uruno, ruled.

Fool was that Irbran. The Great White Phoenix, the Phoenix of War, Loyalty and Knowledge, destroyed one of the Sindur Stones, which rendered the other three useless. Irbran brought forth Second Song of Flames. Meras was now convinced that Irbran was a fool. He had failed to defeat Lautaro. He couldn't rely on the Great Phoenix. But it was a different situation with the molehog named Stephen.

Meras needed to gain his trust. If he was correct, then the so-called Child of Day the priests of Mirias spoke of. It was said that the Child of Day, the living embodiment of Hope, would battle the Child of Night, the living embodiment of Despair, and the Child of Night would be killed. Meras must be correct.

"I am sure of it," he said to himself "the Great Phoenixes have failed. Their fall starts with Irbran".


	2. Chapter 1 Peaches

**I**

**PEACHES**

**It was three weeks since their capture. **

The Nyx had taken them more to the south. The template weather of the Southern Lands changed into a hotter and dry one. After a week of travelling, they reached the entrance of a forest. The trees were thin, but their tops were filled with many leaves. They stopped on placement of ruined houses and statues. The Nyx spoke in their language. When she asked on where were they, the Nyx said that they were in the entrance of the Arani Forest, in the ruins of Astaros.

Many of the Nyx went to scout in the forest, leaving Peaches and Ethan almost entirely alone. There were five phoenixes watching to the north, keeping a lookout. The Nyx had tied her and Ethan to the trunk of a tree, but the rope knot felt loose.

"The rope's loose," Peaches began to untie the knot "we can escape".

"I'll go along with it," Ethan whispered. While they were untying the rope, they discussed a plan. The wind was blowing and it was hard to hear. No wonder the Nyx didn't hear them. Their plan was to head north, back to the Southern Fords. They had seen the battle, which was very violent. Once they were free, they approached the phoenixes silently. And they wrapped their trunks around their necks, not to kill them, but to knock them unconscious. They did that with two of them, and the other three took notice. Ethan and Peaches threw at them the unconscious Nyx. The third fled into the forest, and while the other two were stunned, the two mammoths proceeded to knock them out.

"Now we can escape," Ethan said.

The only problem was that they knew they had to go north, but in which direction.

"We'll wing it," Peaches said "as long as we get as far away from these Nyx as possible".

They began to move in a fast trot. They knew that the Nyx were going to find out they escaped, especially with that one which fled into the forest. They continued their trot and by the time the sun fell, the two of them were tired.

"We can't stop," Peaches said as Ethan stopped, even though she was pretty tired herself.

"Maybe there not following us," Ethan said "maybe they don't care anymore".

"I don't know," Peaches said "I don't want to take a risk".

"Fine," he complained. The two moved at a much slower pace, a slow trot, if you will. The climate changed from the hot and dry Arani Forest, to the template warm of the Southern Lands. In the end, they did decided to rest for a little while.

After a while, Peaches said "I'm stupid," she said "I got us both in danger. So much for helping?"

"Hey, don't say that," Ethan said "we can still help the fight against Lautaro. Think of being captured by the Nyx as a setback". "A setback that might have cost us our lives," she said.

"Do you think your family knows that you're here?"

"I don't know," Peaches said "if they knew, my dad would kill me because of it".

"Don't think of that," Ethan said "think of getting out of this".

Peaches felt safe when she was with Ethan. They did have their disagreements in the past, but it was the past. They rested for about a while, but when they got up to continue their escape, Peaches' heart dropped. She noticed in the distance, up in the sky, the Nyx flying. Underneath the moonlight, their dark blue feathers shimmered and they seemed to be a sky blue color.

"Run!" she told Peaches. The two of them began running but it was no use. The Nyx caught them. One of them interrogated them. He was larger than the others and he wore a bronze helm.

"Who was the one who came up with the idea of escaping?" he drew a knife out of thin air, appearing in a small burst of fire.

"It was me," Ethan said quickly "I told her to untie the knot so that we could get away".

"What?" she said surprised "No, it was my idea". They argued with each other, Ethan claimed that it was his idea, while Peaches said otherwise.

Either way, the Nyx with the bronze helm was beginning to get annoyed.

"Enough!" he said "I will decide who's idea was it and who is to be punished". After thinking for five minutes, he lifted Ethan's head and drove the knife through his throat.

"No!" Peaches yelled.

"It is the male whom I believe," the Nyx said, making the knife disappear in a burst of flame.


	3. Chapter 2 Manny

**II**

**MANNY**

**He had seen very weird things over the years. **

Meeting the phoenix with snowy-white feathers was one of them. Obviously he wasn't like the Nyx that he fought during the battle of Agouti's Rock. He said his name was Irbran. He told them that the battle at the Southern Fords was won.

"We must move to Fereldas," he said.

"Why there?" Joaquin, the small agouti who began leading Agouti's Rock, asked "what's at Fereldas?"

"You shall see when we arrive there," Irbran said "how soon can you move out?"

"Tomorrow," Joaquin answered "at dawn, I suppose". And so was the plan made. At first light, the army that was formed at Agouti's Rock was to march to the South. Manny went to take a walk in the forest. He had a lot of time to think.

He was heartbroken, sad and was starting to lose hope. Ellie was dead. With the help of the others, they buried her body in the forest. She was gone, and he didn't even get so say goodbye. And then his daughter, Peaches, was somewhere in the south. Joaquin told her that she wanted to help, to do something instead of standing around in Eagle's Rock, doing nothing. So she left, along with Ethan, and headed for the south, to the Southern Fords. Manny was furious when Joaquin told him that, that why couldn't do something to stop her. His daughter could be dead, for all he knew. And now, he couldn't do anything about it. The past weeks he had lost plenty; both his daughter and mate.

He continued walking for hours, when he heard flying overhead. In front of him, Irbran landed.

"The Mark of Fire burned throughout the land," he said "and I have come to Agouti's Rock. Do you remember similar words?"

A matter of fact, he did. He remembered the dream. It seemed so long ago. He then noticed the fiery orange eyes.

"Yes," Manny said "from a dream".

"I sent you that dream," Irbran began "now, we can talk. First, I am indeed sorry about your beloved Ellie, though her dead was foretold".

"How so?" Manny didn't believe him.

"Everything that has ever happened, and everything that will happen," he continued "was already foretold and determined from the beginning of Time. Our actions, though they might seem unpredictable, are determined. Our will is determined. Everything is determined".

"What are you going with this?"

"As I said, everything is determined," he said "and in the coming weeks, more of the ones you know shall die. I know who is to live through this war, and I know who is to die. So, keep what I have told you in mind. Anyone you see that passes into the next life, know that it was determined from the beginning. And now, there is another thing you must know. Something that will sooth your heart".

"Go on,"

"I told your daughter to go to the Southern Fords and-"

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?" Manny interrupted "My daughter might be dead and-"

Irbran lifted his wing and flapped them. A gust of warm wind blew in Manny's face and he saw her daughter, Peaches, tied up, surrounded by Nyx.

But most importantly, she was alive. The vision ended and he saw Irbran fold him wings.

"She's alive" Manny said, relieved.

"Held by the Nyx," Irbran said "however, you must know that her friend, Ethan, perished".

"We have to do something to save her?"

"That is why I'm returning to the Southern Lands," he said "I shall save your daughter. Before I go, I must give you a warning".

Irbran told Manny to pay close attention. "Do not enter Fereldas. Lautaro will arrive there first, and a great army is with him. Wait for him to leave the ruins. And one last thing, keep a good eye on the four sabre-tooths. Enjoy their companionship and friendship, because it will not last will know what I mean when you see it. Now, farewell. I will meet you again".

The phoenix unfolded his wing and he was surrounded by fire and in an instant, he disappeared. Manny decided to return to Agouti's Rock. By the time he arrived, the sun was starting to set. Joaquin asked him where was Irbran. Manny explained that the phoenix had left to the Southern Lands.

He explained everything that Irbran had told him, except what he told him about the sabre-tooths.

"Get some rest, then," Joaquin said "we're marching in the morning".

Before he went to sleep, Manny saw Diego, Shira and their two cubs, Leo and Savannah. Poor little Leo. He was once very playful, but ever since the battle, he was very quiet and always stayed close to his mother, Shira. Savannah on the other hand, was very active and was always moving about. Manny felt sorry for Leo. The cub was forever changed, probably never going to be the same.

Manny thought about what Irbran said about the sabre-tooths. _Enjoy their companionship and friendship, because it will not last will know what I mean when you see it, _he had said. What did he mean exactly? This question haunted Manny's sleep throughout the entire night.


	4. Chapter 3 Lorin

**III**

**LORIN**

**Her visions were always true. **

Her visions always told of future events. But this "gift", was also a curse. She was horrified sometimes of what she saw. She saw prosperity in the future of the world, but also saw war, from the simplest conflict, to even genocide. Her dreams were haunted by the future and with the troubles of ruling a kingdom, Lorin was surprised she hadn't already lost her sanity.

Lorin was young for a phoenix. She was sixty years old, and she was considered by her people a mere youth. She was feeble and weak, with weak wings but she could still fly. Her feathers were orange and copper in color. She was the Queen of the Hemera and Lady of Mirias, their glorious capital. She hardly left the palace, a large structure built on top of the highest peak of their territory. Unlike the Atlantean buildings of Tetheros, which were made from marble, the buildings of Mirias, including the palace, were made of tinted glass. The glass was either sea blue, or sky blue and it was hard and thick, but still clear enough to see through. The Throne Room was an enclosed area, the only fully enclosed area of the city, with a domed roof of stained glass. The throne was positioned at the end of the room and there, Lorin spent the midday. She was attending to business of the welfare of the kingdom.

"My lady," Resmaer, her advisor, a large phoenix with bright red feathers, said "the Nyx are raiding our lands. It seems war is inevitable".

"Then we should…send out soldiers, yes," she said nervously.

"My queen," he looked at her sympathetically "go and rest. I shall deal with the affairs of the kingdom this day. But yes, I shall send out soldiers to protect our lands from the vile Nyx".

Lorin went to her favorite place in the city, the Garden of the Iluminasa. Planted at the north of the city, Lorin was escorted through the city by guards. The city was busy today, the market specially. The children were playing in the air, and everyone looked at her, saluting her and greeting her.

Some however, looked at her with disdain. Many did not see her fit to rule.

The Gardens were planted with all sort of trees, flowers and bushes. There was the scent of roses, lavender, and lilies and the air in the Garden was as sweet as a moon candy. Lorin spent the day in the Garden, smelling the flowers, sitting down and meditating, keeping calm. By the time the sun set, she approached her guards.

"I wish to go back to the palace," she said.

"As you wish my queen," her guard-captain, Galileo, said. As they continued walking across the city, a mysterious cloaked figure stepped in front of her and her guards.

"Step aside," Galileo said.

But the cloaked figure drew a dagger and threw it a Lorin. One of her guards pushed her aside and she fell on the floor. Galileo leaped in the air and landed on the figure. He drew his sword and removed the cloak off the figure. Lorin got off the floor and saw that the cloaked figure was a Nyx.

Galileo broke the Nyx's wings with the hilt of his sword and told the guards to take the Nyx to the palace dungeon. Galileo continued escorting Lorin and once they were in the palace, he took her to her room. By this time, Resmaer heard of what had happened. Galileo left the room and said he was heading to the dungeon.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Lorin broke into tears. Resmaer comfort her and then told her she should sleep. So she curled up in her bed made of soft cotton, and let her mind drift off to sleep. She had a dream of that assassin and then she had another dream. In it, she stood at the top of the palace, standing on the stained glass dome. The dream was short, but she saw her city burning and in ruin. That was when the dream ended. When she woke, she woke with tears in her eyes. The second dream, about her city on fire, felt like it was a vision. If it was true, then war was truly coming to Mirias.

She went to the window and looked up at the rising sun. "Please oh Great Indar," she began praying "please bring safety to my people. Please give me strength in this time of coming war and I shall be truly grateful".

When she finished, she went back into her bed of cotton, feeling that she caught a cold.


	5. Chapter 4 Marian

**IV**

**MARIAN**

**Never before had Marian seen the Queen of the Mountains and the Sea. **

She was a kangaroo, her fur was grey and with a tint of purple, her eyes were like pure amber. She carried a sword at her side; the blade was concealed in a sheath. She walked alongside King Lautaro. They had come to Fereldas for a reason that Marian did not know. A great army was behind them, consisting of Terror Birds, wolves, the great indricotheres and the Nyx.

Lautaro had presented Marian to Raz as her squire. She was honored to serve the Queen. The Nyx led them to the waterfront of the ruined city. They walked through ruined streets and in between large houses made of marble. The sky above was clear of any cloud and the sun was beating down, causing glare from the marble houses. They reached the waterfront and never had Marian seen a sight so marvelous. The sea was blue and in it was a large fleet of wooden ships. They had three sails and two rows of oars came out from the sides. There were Nyx phoenixes standing on the decks of the many biremes. However, there was one ship, which was docked, that was larger than the biremes. It had four sails, and it was longer than the biremes, and had three rows of oars and finally. The trireme's ram was in the shape of a phoenix and on board the ship, there were four ballistae.

"It is high time you took up a ship once more," Lautaro said. By order of Lautaro, the army of Nyx boarded the ships, and most of the Terror Birds as well. The wolves and Indricotheres would stay in Fereldas, as a garrison but they would bring larger ships to transport them. Marian went onboard the Queen's flagship, which she had named _Dragonwood. _Marian, a Grey fox, had never been in the ocean, and had never been on a ship. She began to get seasick as the trireme began to rock back and forth. The sea smelt like salt and everywhere you could feel the water, even in the wind. The sun gleamed in the blue water, and soon enough, the land was disappearing behind them. By afternoon, all she could see were small islands, and the massive fleet of ships.

Her Queen, Raz, seemed to enjoy herself. She seemed to love the wind of the sea in her face, and her face had a look of nostalgia. She had been told that the Queen once sailed with pirates, but that was long ago. She then had a small expression of pain, and put her palm in her head.

"My Queen," Marian said "are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she replied, the pain seemed to have passed "I appreciate your concern. It was has been a while since I was at sea. I need to get used to it once more. I will go below deck and rest".

During the following two days, Raz would get headaches, but they stopped after the third day. She seemed to glow; the sea had given her more energy and would brightened her mood a lot from time to time. She would occasionally discuss with the bear king, Lautaro, while Marian went to bring her water or to place her sword in a weapons rack. They stopped at a large, barren island after being at sea for a week. They landed and seeing all the biremes land at the beach was quite the sight.

Raz and Marian began to develop a relationship and by the end of the week on that barren island, they had become friends.

By the time they got back on the ships, Marian was curious. She was hoping her friend would quell her curiosity.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"To the island of Mirias," she replied "the home of the phoenixes. The king is in search for immortality and the Nyx tell him that it lies in Mirias. This is actually our end of the deal, as the Nyx will have our support to fight the Hemera, their enemies".

"So we're sailing off to war?"

"Yes, my friend," Raz said "but I wouldn't make you fight in the battles, if there are". This was gladdening to Marian, as she did not want anything to do with fighting. They sailed towards the west but then took a turn to the north. After a whole month of sailing, they had arrived at an island, filled with spruces, pines and birch trees. The Nyx fleet docked itself in a massive dock that was part of a great city. The city was surrounded by walls ninety feet tall, made of dark granite, the same with the houses and structures. The city seemed to have been carved from stone. Nyx guards led Raz and Lautaro across the city streets, with Marian following behind. The city was inhabited by Nyx of many ages, both male and female, and children. The city smelled like lavender and roses. They passed through a market which was full with Nyx merchants selling anything, from food, to jewelry. They were lead up a path that ended at the top of a hill. And at the top of the hill, there was a large palace, with tall towers, domes, even gardens. The courtyard was grand, filled with a great tree in the center.

Raz and Lautaro were greeted by a Nyx, who bore a crown on his head. He approached Lautaro and began to speak.

"Mighty ally," he said "welcome to the city of Nyxa".

"I am honored to be inside your city walls," Lautaro greeted "King Uruno of the Nyx".

"I was sent word that you wish to attain immortality," King Uruno was tall, with black feathers like a crow, and his eyes stood out, which were a very bright blue.

"I do," Lautaro said "they tell me that it lies in the heart of Mirias".

"Indeed it does," Uruno said "come, let us speak strategy on how we are to obtain your dream and my desire". Raz was led to a room in one of the towers, which Marian followed her. The room was at the top, and it was large. It had many curtains and tapestries as decorations and candles of blue fire were lit.

"Would you please bring me some water?" Raz asked.

"As you say, my Queen," said Marian.

"You don't need to call me that," Raz said "you are my friend. You can call me Raz".


	6. Chapter 5 Louis

**V**

**LOUIS**

**"Let will, not skill, take control of the arrow and it shall never miss". **

Louis pulled back the arrow, carefully aiming at the target painted on a log that his archery tutor, Athelandir, a Hemera phoenix that fought in the Southern Fords, placed that Louis could practice. He was a good enough archer but Athelandir was determined to make him one of the best. He relaxed, as Athelandir told him, and released the shaft, and the arrow hit the target.

"Keep at it until you don't have arrows in the quiver," Athelandir said. Louis continued firing the arrows until his quiver was empty. After, the phoenix told him to rest for the rest of the day and regain his energy as the army would march to Fereldas on the following day.

It was still summer, and a clear blue sky and beating sun was above the Southern Fords. It had been two weeks since the battle and the entire army had regained their strengths. The army was nearly ten thousand strong, but he wondered if it would be enough to defeat Lautaro. As far as Louis knew, Lautaro was allied with the Nyx and he had no doubt that they would bolster his current numbers. He wondered where this war would go, and how would it end, no doubt that it would result in a great loss of life. As he wondered throughout the Southern Fords, he stumbled upon a garden; the same garden in which Buck was buried. To him, Buck was a hero, a martyr that fought tyranny and a false king who, because of his desires, had caused death to the island. Louis was sickened when he heard of Lautaro ordering the killings of mammoths and mastodons. For Louis, Buck was a good friend, who didn't deserve to die.

He found himself with Claire. Ever since that night, he got even closer to her, enough so that he started showing his feelings to her. He told her that he liked her, which seemed to make her glad.

"You like her?" his brother Stephen had asked when Louis told him about Claire "Good for you".

"How was your training?" she asked.

"Well enough, I suppose," he replied.

"Good," she said "so, how does it feel, no longer bearing the Sindur Stone?"

"Good," Louis replied "it's like a weight was lifted off my body. It was heavy, and I was surprised that I was able to hold it".

"Maybe you're stronger than you think," Claire said. Louis felt like he was blushing. After their little conversation, Claire asked Louis to teach her using a bow.

"You want to learn archery?"

"Looks like fun, and useful," she replied "we can have competitions to see who's best at archery. Also, I've gotten the want to shoot an apple with an arrow, don't know why?"

"Alright," Louis grabbed his bow and looked for something to use as a target. They went on using a tree which was in the garden, the same tree that Athelandir made him practice on before moving on to a log. Claire cut the tree with her dagger, and drew sap, painting a target with it.

"It's simple," Louis said "all you do is pull back the arrow, aim and release. Athelandir tells me to just relax and the arrow won't miss…most of the time". Claire did what he told her, and released the shaft, though she hit the target, it almost hit the center. She continued practicing, and after shooting twenty times, she hit the target. She fired another arrow and was able to hit the target a second time.

"I think that's enough for today," Claire said "my arms are sore".

"That tends to happen occasionally". She went back to the fortress, to get some rest, but not before she placed a kiss on his cheek. Louis was blushing and again and a small smile appeared on his face.

"So, ready for leaving to Fereldas tomorrow, you little lovebird," a voice said.

Louis saw that it was his friend, a Purgatorius named Oliver. "Don't tell me you're going to poke fun because I like Claire".

"Well, sorry, but I will tease," Oliver said with a grin "hey, at least she likes you to".

"You don't need to tell me," Louis said with a small smile.

By the time the moon rose, Louis was very tired. His was arm were sore from his archery training. He fell asleep early, nervous about the march to Fereldas. By the time he woke, the army was getting ready to march. His brother Stephen woke him up, and told him to get his bow and arrows. At the front was Loras and Pax, leading the army in the march. They were marching, not running from their lives like when they were heading to the Southern Fords.

They were truly marching to war.


	7. Chapter 6 Loras

**VI**

**LORAS**

**Loras was deep in thought. **

The war still continued and the sooner they faced Lautaro, there would be less loss of innocent lives. Loras was pressuring Pax to get the army on the march, and he finally agreed to do so.

"Tomorrow at dawn," Pax said. This satisfied Loras. He decided to spend the rest of the day with his mate, Lara, and their son, Nile, who had grown a lot. Loras spoke to Lara about the marching of the army. He told her that he wanted her to stay in the Southern Fords, much to her dismay. He would do anything to keep her safe, and this was the solution. He fell asleep, thinking on what would happen after the war. He knew what would happen after the war's end if Lautaro won. Every sacrifice and effort would be in vain and Loras doubted that anyone else would oppose the false bear king.

The following morning, the army marched away. Loras approached his family for a goodbye.

"Nile," he said to his son, who was still partly covered with brown downy feathers "I may or may not come back. If I don't come back, do you promise me that you'll look after your mother?"

"Yes, father," Nile said in response.

"That's a good boy".

"Do try to come back," Lara said.

The army marched, heading further south to Fereldas. The Atlantean city that was once Fereldas was built on the coast, near the Desert Lands. The trek would take probably a week or more, but what they did know is that Lautaro had already reached Fereldas. The army was near thousand, and was enough to hold against the Nyx, who were the real threat of Lautaro's army. As they headed further down south, the weather started to get hotter and drier. The sun of the late summer was beating down on them, but they didn't make many stops for they needed to reach the ruins as quickly as possible.

They did stop at some points. While at night, with the rest of the army gathering their strengths again, Loras' mind was on many matters. He thought of the history of Tetheros, and it wasn't a pretty one. War had shaped the island. The first great conflict he remembered was the Atlantean Civil War, which ended with the destruction of a great civilization and the sinking of most of the island and thus creating the archipelago. Loras continued thinking about other wars in the past before falling asleep…

…but it wasn't long before he was awoken. In the distance, glowing pairs of eyes could be seen. They seem to approach and soon, the owners of the eyes were in sight. They were very large, as large as Lautaro, perhaps even larger. They were mammals, about five of them, with golden fur and three of them sported bronze colored manes and the other two didn't. Their appearance was intimidating and graceful at the same time.

Pax was standing up and approached the arrivals, flanked by two Patagornis who served as guard. Loras, who was basically his second in command, stood up as well. The four Terror Birds approached the arrivals.

The largest of them told the other four to stay behind and he alone approached Pax. "Greetings fellows".

"Greetings to you," Pax said "and who might you and your companions be?"

"I am Barroth," he said "and my four companions are Lissoth, Taevarth, Franae and Porrelth. And you might say that we are living legends and myths".

"Why is that?" Loras asked.

"We are the last of the Lions of Tetheros," Barroth said.

_Impossible, _thought Loras. He heard tales of the Lions of Tetheros and all of them said that they had become extinct long ago, and that the supposed last Lion was the last king of Tetheros long before Lautaro.

"Are you now?" Pax said "Didn't the Lions die out long ago?"

"Some survived," Barroth said "myself and my companions are the last five in existence. We are Kings and Queens in the lands beyond the Southern Lands, and we have created a fierce and formidable army. We come to offer our aid, as we hear you are fighting Lautaro. But we want something in exchange, and we believe you can deliver". `

Loras knew of the lands beyond the Southern Lands, which were also beyond the Desert Lands. No descriptions of the land existed and he didn't know what type of creature lived on those lands.

"I see," Pax said "and what would you like in exchange?"

"Restoring the Lion's line of Kings and Queens in Tetheros," Barroth replied "a position that currently a bear holds".

"Interesting," Pax began to pace and Loras knew that he was pondering the statement "You are out of fortune then, for I must reject your offer". The statement surprised Loras, for he wouldn't turn down the offer of an alliance. And yet, the Lions didn't strike him as trustworthy. They had their own lands, and yet they came north to get even more power.

"And why is that?" Barroth seemed angry at being rejected.

"I don't trust you," Pax said "I will not make an alliance influenced by your claim of having an army that I don't see anywhere. Also, if we are able to defeat Lautaro, the Southern Lands shall be given to the Hemera, as a way to thank them for their aid, and the North, the Cariamae, will have a new king, my second in command, Loras".

Now Loras was shocked for two reasons; the first one was the fact that Pax wanted Loras to be King, and the second was that Pax never conferred with him about it. He didn't know what to think.

"You have no right!" Barroth was indignant "the right of ruling Tetheros belongs to the Lions, to my kin".

"No," Pax said "the right belonged to the Atlanteans, and the Lions have no place in the North and in the Southern Lands anymore. I have no more need for allies, so leave now".

"You have made a mistake," Barroth said "You have made an enemy out of me". The Lion returned to his kin and the five left, heading back from where they had come.


	8. Chapter 7 Eddie

**VII**

**EDDIE**

**It was now lonely in Agouti's Rock. **

Only a few animals, mostly young ones and a few parents, along with Shira and her cubs, stayed. The rest had marched off somewhere to the south. Ever since Ellie had died, nothing was the same for Eddie and Crash. They spent years together as a family and in the blink of an eye (according to Diego), she was dead. The worst part was that they weren't with her and they couldn't get the smallest chance of saying goodbye.

They also didn't have any idea on what had happened to Peaches and every moment since she left has been filled with nervousness and turmoil.

Though Agouti's Rock was now the safest place to be, Crash and Eddie didn't saw think that they should simply sit around. They had a plan of sorts. They just needed to wait until Leo and Savannah, Diego and Shira's cubs, would fall asleep, as Crash and Eddie spent the day being followed around by them, especially Savannah.

Once night fell, and nearly everyone else was asleep, Crash and Eddie were ready to pull off their plan.

"Which way do we go?" Eddie asked.

This was the part they hadn't truly planned. "Well, there were many mammoths going, so they could have left tracks". They left Agouti's Rock, and saw that there were indeed tracks leading south. They followed them. The army had two days ahead of them, and sure enough they could catch up with them.

By morning, birds of prey came out to hunt. Every chance they got, they would use bushes and shrubs for cover. Crash and Eddie saw birds of prey that they had seen before, which were eagles and hawks. But then they saw it. It was a large owl, whose feathers were of many shades of brown. It had tall ear tufts that made it look intimidating. They had never seen one before, but once heard of a bird with a similar description. _An eagle owl, _thought Eddie, _or at least that's what I think it is. _

The owl had spotted them and it eyed them with great interest. A bush was nearby. The owl, which was perching on a branch of a thin tree, took to the sky and headed their way. Quickly, they made a break for the bush. They took cover in the bush and the owl was denied a meal. Problem was that the owl was circling the bush above them, and then returned to its perching position in the tree. It was watching the bush carefully, and they knew that if they broke cover, the owl would spring out.

"I now think we should have stayed back at Agouti's Rock," Eddie said.

"We're fine," Crash said "we just need to be patient. I don't think that owl can stay like that for hours". Unfortunately for them, the hours passed and the sun was high above, and still the owl was standing there. Maybe they were the only current source of food for the owl, as no small marsupial or rodent would go out in the day.

"Alright, I take that back," Crash said "that owl isn't going anywhere".

As soon as he said that, another bird of prey appeared. It was larger than the owl with dark brown feathers. A Golden Eagle they were called.

"Oh, well that just adds more to our problem," Crash said.

"Wait, look," Eddie said. The eagle owl took off to the air, and it attacked the eagle, slashing at the eagle's body with its talons. The two large birds began to fight in midair and Crash and Eddie took the chance to make a run for it. Their luck increased as there was a nearby forest, though small, but would give enough cover, and perhaps something to eat, as they were very hungry. Once in the forest, they ate and drank water and decided it was better if they continued in the night. Hopefully the owl and eagle didn't see them going this way.

By nightfall, they began looking for the tracks again. Possums were nocturnal and right now, their eye sight was their greatest tool. They exited the forest and began looking for the tracks when they heard a voice calling out to them.

"What are you doing?"

They turned around and saw that it was a Purgatorius peeking out of a burrow.

"Do you want to get yourselves killed?" the Purgatorius said "the Phantoms of the North have come out".

After a few moments, Crash and Eddie saw what he meant. Coming straight at them was a large owl. It had a big round head with yellow eyes with dark circles around them. Its feathers were grey with a pale color. The Purgatorius told them to take cover in the burrow and so they did.

"I'm getting tired of owls," Eddie said.

"Phantoms of the North come out in the night," the Purgatorius said "oh, sorry, I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Leigh".

"Nice to meet you. I'm Crash and this is my brother Eddie".

"Well met to the both of you," Leigh said "now come. You'll have to stay here for the rest of the night, for many owls come out to hunt. And while we wait for dawn, I suppose we could use this time to get to know each other".

Eddie and Crash followed the Purgatorius deeper inside the burrow.


	9. Chapter 8 Stephen

**VIII**

**STEPHEN**

**The ruins of the Atlanteans were in sight. **

And so were the soldiers of Lautaro. As soon as they arrived into the city, Nyx and wolves attacked the army. Stephen took a small moment to take in his surroundings, trying to ignore the sounds of battle. Once that happened, he saw that Louis, Claire and Oliver were far from the main fray of the battle, which made Stephen glad. He drew his sword, and went into the heart of the battle, unarmored as he didn't have enough time to put on the bronze cuirass that Irbran had made for him.

It was quick enough to know who was winning the battle. The Hemera were cutting through the lines of the enemy, leaving bodies of the rundown streets and in the alleys. Stephen had seen war before, and as he cut down a wolf, it made him cringe and a sense of revulsion filled him. Another wolf came up to him, and he tried to avenge his fallen compatriot, but he met a similar fate; Stephen drew his blade across the wolf's throat. The animal fell to the ground, choking on his own blood. Stephen felt sorry for the animal, and he felt nauseous. He decided to wait out the battle in an alley.

"This war," he said, wiping sweat off his brow "it's getting to me". The thought of the ones he had killed throughout the course of, not only in the war, but throughout the years that he had spent in Tetheros came to him. It sickened him. Then another thought came to him. What would come after the ending of the war?

He figured that he would probably end up dead, either in victory or defeat, but if they were to win and if he would survive, what would come next. The thought of finding a mate came to him. He decided not to think about it much, as they had to fight a war. Soon enough, the sounds of battle were over. Stephen left the alley, and sheathed his blade. He could hear the cheers of victory coming throughout the ruins. He saw up in the sky the Hemera, who were flying in circles with glee. The battle had been won.

Stephen woke up in cold sweat, during the middle of the night. He tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn't. In his dreams, for the first time in his life did he saw the ones he had killed. They were all being…ferried it seemed...across a river. The river, which was black, was in a dark cavernous place. He saw Nyx, wolves, Terror Birds, and even he saw Gupta and Buck. It utterly depressed him. He wondered if anyone else was plagued by this.

"From what we learned from the wolf named Gerian," said Pax "is that Lautaro and a massive fleet of Nyx ships sailed into the lands of the Nyx, across the sea".

"Wait, why do phoenixes need ships," Stephen said "if they can fly?"

"Because we conserve the energy in our wings," a Hemera delegate said "we do this so we can have more reserves of it during combat".

"Anyway," Pax continued "if Lautaro is going across the waters, then we must do the same".

"How do you plan to do so?" Loras asked.

"The Hemera ships are based on the Atlantean biremes and triremes," said the delegate "and our ships are the fastest vessels that float in the water. We arrived into the island by ships and we can get them to come to Fereldas. They would be here in less than two days".

"Get this done," Pax said and thus, the meeting was over. As Stephen, he was approached by Loras.

"You seemed troubled," the Terror Bird, so tall and fierce looking, said "care to share?"

He hesitated for a moment but then he said "Do you see the people you've killed?"

"Sometimes," Loras said "but I tend to block it out from my thoughts. I always think of my Lara and child before going to sleep. Think of a nice memory, and make sure to hold on to it. That's my advice".

"Now, I have another question," Stephen said "do you think we have a chance of winning this war?"

"So far," Loras said "we've won the battles in the Southern Fords and in Agouti's Rock, as I've been told by our scouts, but the battle may be decided in the lands of the phoenixes, in Mirias. Right now, I think we can win this war, but at the same time, I think we won't be able to win this war".

"Nice answer," Stephen said.

"Good, I was hoping for a good answer," Loras replied "now, if you'll excuse me, I need to talk tactics and strategies with Pax. The war is reaching the change of the tide".


	10. Chapter 9 Lara

**IX**

**LARA**

**She woke up to a misty morning in the Southern Fords. **

Her child, Nile, was still sleeping peacefully. She stepped out into the courtyard, out in the chilly air, though her feathers provided protection. Even though a token force remained, the Southern Fords felt empty. The sun began to rise over the horizon, brightening the land, and the mist dissipated. The morning was quiet, and calm, and it brought Lara memories of the time before the war, a time of peace and quiet in the island, a time before the countless death.

Lara's life had been changed since the day she mated with Loras and established a life-long link between the two Terror Birds. The volcanic eruption had changed her home forever. She'd visited her old home, the northwest of the island, nine months after Lautaro's power grab. Her home had been reduced to ash, and even though the ash cloud had cleared away, the most northwestern reaches of Tetheros had been reduced to a hot and barren field of ash. For her, it represented the change that had come.

As she walked around the Southern Fords, being greeted by soldiers, she remembered something her father had mentioned to her, when she was a little hatchling.

_The world is to end by pride and greed, not with a bang. _Her father, a Terror Bird named Ameghino, had been a superstitious a bird, always chattering about Lions, phoenixes, and a _Song of Flames, _a war that had been fought long ago, and he would preach that a war like that would occur again.

_The Song of Flames is a war of epic proportions, _he once said, _it will come once more, and the land of Tetheros will be devastated. Thousands will die. _She didn't believe him. But now, with battles across Tetheros, and the killings of mammoths and mastodons, hundreds had died, and who knows how many more would.

The day moved on, and her hatchling, Nile, was already up and about, spending his energy in playing around the Southern Fords. Terror Bird hatchlings were always on the move, playing with each other. Not only was it a means of entertainment, but also of a means of exercise. Lara knew that her child would be strong and would be a survivor, much like his father, Loras.

Lara was getting bored as the day passed. By noon, she decided to go on a stroll, outside the Southern Fords. She didn't worry about Nile, as she knew that he could take care of himself for a few hours. She wandered through the ruins and exited the settlement. Hunger panged her and she went out to search for something to eat. She went on hunting fish in the river, and she caught one on the first attempt. Then, she continued with her stroll, and she went to do so in a nearby forest.

The quiet forest enchanted her with its muse, and the memory of war was replaced with the memory of her old life. But this muse was interrupted by the breaking of a branch. She turned in the direction from where the sound came from. A mammal came out of a bush, with golden fur, and spotted bronze mane. He was larger than Lara, and its appearance was graceful and intimidating.

"Hello," it was a male "my name is Barroth, a living myth, a living Lion of Tetheros".

"A Lion?" she said "well, what brings you here?"

"I am aware that you know two birds, Loras and Pax," Barroth said.

"What of it?"

"They have made an enemy of me and my kin," he began "however, I think I can forgive them if you can get them to join me".

"I see," Lara began to pace "but the decisions of my Loras, and his friend are made by him, not by me. From what you tell me, you made them an offer that they rejected it, and if you know Pax and Loras, they are stern and hard-headed when it comes to changing their minds. Also, I do not want to get involved in the politics of this land".

"You do not want to make an enemy of me," Barroth threatened "I give you one chance to consider this. I'll send someone tomorrow to give me your answer".


End file.
